15 replies to this topic

[Vortigern]

At some point in the 70's, somebody invented heavy metal. It was probably Steve Harris. Then everything became awesome, and the world as we know it was born. There is a very good reason why Bill and Ted, whose music united the world, were a rock band, not rappers. In this thread please, all of you, share with me and all the other happy metalheads out there the awesome bands that we know should rule the musical world but are instead confined to the fringes. I shall begin.

Hurt. They have only two albums, called Volume I and Volume II, and they are all about the music, and play in shadow on stage. Fortunately, their music is awesome. It's sorta like Coheed and Cambria, but more like Disturbed. Somewhere between the two.

Blind Guardian. The original German power metal band. They're kind of a love/hate thing, but I love them and I see no reason why you shouldn't too. Very technical, and use a lot of production, but still really really good.

Nightwish. Better known than Hurt or Blind Guardian, but that's because they're more awesome. Their latest album, with the new singer, is absolutely brilliant. For those of similar tastes, try Within Temptation, Leaves Eyes or After Forever. (That list begins with the most awesome.)

Dream Evil. Not for those who actually listen to the lyrics. Need I say more?

Astral Doors. Not sure how best to describe them, but it always kinda reminded me of what Dio would sound like with a metal organ.

Your turn now, give me awesome music.

[Cheshire Fox]

Does Queens of the Stone Age count as metal? They're not too bad. Metallica's decent, but I'm a far shot from crazy about them. Rage Against the Machine is sick.

[Beowulf]

I'm bigger on the eighties metal like Iron Maiden and Megadeth, and even though they're not classed as heavy metal, Dream Theater is massive win on scales you can't even comprehend. Besides, you'd better lay down to Deep Purple for actually getting heavy metal started.

[Vortigern]

I drove from Sydney to Brisbane in a camper van listening mostly to Rage Tom Morello is just awesome. Also, for the sake of knowledge, if you like Rage, go listen to Audioslave too. It's the same band but with a different singer and a slightly altered style.

And, judging from the new sig, I'd guess Beowulf is also something a Pink Floyd fan... I must say, I never really saw the attraction myself, they've always seemed a bit bland. Probably because I'm too young to appreciate their having been the first of their kind.

[Cheshire Fox]

I love Pink Floyd, great jam band. They're something you can really just kick back to and cruise with. Wish You Were Here is a brilliant album...

I dunno what it is about Dream Theater, but I just really, really hate them. Something about actually just makes me frustrated and angry whenever I hear them. I've heard a bunch about Audioslave, but I've never gotten around to checking them out I'm afraid. You should definitely check out Zach de la Rocha's solo work (his remix of B.O.B. is pretty sick), and Tom Morello's The Nightwatchmen stuff is pretty tight as well.

[Beowulf]

I drove from Sydney to Brisbane in a camper van listening mostly to Rage Tom Morello is just awesome. Also, for the sake of knowledge, if you like Rage, go listen to Audioslave too. It's the same band but with a different singer and a slightly altered style.

Am I the only one who thinks Morello is hugely overrated? His work is bland and unimpressive. I never saw his appeal. He has a few good solos with Audioslave but that's about it.

And, judging from the new sig, I'd guess Beowulf is also something a Pink Floyd fan... I must say, I never really saw the attraction myself, they've always seemed a bit bland. Probably because I'm too young to appreciate their having been the first of their kind.

Bit of a Floyd fan, yeah. Quite enjoy The Wall and Animals.

[Vortigern]

The thing about Tom Morello is his style. It's not that the solos he does are particularly challenging, or melodic, or musically brilliant in any way, they're just way different to anything else there is. Also, because he's the Rage guy. Everyone loves Rage. Like, my horsey middle-aged Chemistry teacher from three years ago was a Rage fan, as was my huge fat preppy-looking Spanish teacher, though I kinda expected that because he is a very angry man. But I am a big fan of his songwriting, more than his guitar work. Especially the Audioslave stuff, it's much better than the Rage stuff. Unfortunately, I didn't have an Audioslave CD in the van.

Edited by Vortigern, 10 May 2008 - 09:07 PM.

[duke_Qa]

Oh where to begin.

nightwish was my start into heavier music, but now i find only the older albums good. The newest one was nice a few times, but now i can't listen to it because the new singer just isnt into the game yet. It lacks alot of the stuff that the elder albums had. Though i have faith in the keyboardist(the brains i believe) will be able to make better albums now that they are more familiar with their new voice. But ultimately i tire easily of their music.

within temptation and leaves eyes are quite different compared to nightwish(well what i've heard of leaves eyes is at least, its much more growling and not as much melodic. After forever is a better band in that genre imo, and a bit of Epica), Within Temptation is somewhat good, but it got old quicker than nightwish. When you are going for epic metal, you can't just go for cheese all the time(thats a problem for the symphonic/power-metal bands like Rhapsody(of fire), dragonforce, nightwish, sonata arctica, Kamelot and so forth has. They thread the same paths so much its just turns into the same stuff).

Blind Guardian is cool, Hanzi has a great voice. Though i find the music a bit repetitive at times. Hopefully the new symphonic thing they are planning to release will be nice, and the last album was a step forward.



Queens of the Stone Age does not imo go as heavy metal, it might be hard-rock, but is apparently just defined in the vague "alternative rock" box.

Metallica has the black album and Master of Puppets, the newest/oldest stuff is too trashy. the symphonic version of those album is a must at times, and works well on dvd at (certain) parties.


Pink Floyd? i just got my hands on a few of the albums. its a bit too slow-moving at times in my opinion, it lacks that extra edge that progressive metal has. kinda like playing on a keyboard with only 36 keys, you lack a few notes to make something real good. doesnt mean that its bad, they got some of the best songs out there, and having a DVD of their shows looks like a perfect party-dvd to show off your new TV(they have some crazy effects thats for sure).


so what havent been mentioned here... i'll just go through a list and save my nr1 recommendation. i'm a progressive guy, it just makes the music alot more repeatable(imo).

Symphony X, progressive but very power-metal. they were the warm-up for Dream Theater's concert here last september, so i saw them live there. They have some pretty good power-metal songs and i would recommend checking them out.

Pain of salvation. a swedish progmetal band, very political in its lyrics, has albums about child-abuse, religion and humanity's self-destructive materialistic ways, but all hidden in EXCELLENT music. must-hear albums: 'Be', 'Scarsick', 'remedy lane', youtube links: Ashes, Dea Pecuniae, Imago

Porcupine tree. something i just got into, progressive rock but have gotten Metal elements lately. Fear of a blank planet is a very awesome album and song. highly recommended.

Dream Theater. They are the kings of progmetal. they got plenty of great albums out and its hard for me to say which are the best. Forsaken, not the best song, but it looks like a good music-video.

Opeth. this is about the hardest music i listen to, progressive melodic deathmetal. also swedish, but very good. it takes a bit to get into them, but once you manage to listen to them it pays off. they have a strange blend of extremely calm and relaxing parts, with deathgrowls and noise. Porcelain heart is a single from their new album 'Watershed', but 'Ghost of perdition' and earlier albums like 'damnation(calm)/deliverance(hard)', 'Blackwater Park' are all good.



My last choice for the day is probably my nr1 favorite style of music: Ayreon

Progressive folk-metal with blends from everything. The brainchild of Arjen Luccassen from the Netherlands. He is a multi-talent i have alot of respect for, along with a majority of the metal artists out there. He kidnaps new singers for every album(most vocalists are famous and if you listen to metal, you can bet that they've song for one of Arjen's albums.), and has sci-fi concepts that can make your brain twist if you think too much about them.

'The Truth is out there' is a song that i personally want to make a 3d-music video for if i get the time next year. it has the basis to become a great music-video. Beneath the waves is a great song too, along with Across the Rainbow bridge. recommended albums: The Human Equation, 01011001, The Electric Castle, Universial migrator 1+2.




Ultimately, i started my musical journey in Nightwish, and have now grown into the bands that i've mentioned above. I'm not completely stuck in that style and listen to alot of different things, but these are the albums i return to. so there is alot of gold in there if you like this kind of music.

[Beowulf]

The thing about Tom Morello is his style. It's not that the solos he does are particularly challenging, or melodic, or musically brilliant in any way, they're just way different to anything else there is. Also, because he's the Rage guy. Everyone loves Rage. Like, my horsey middle-aged Chemistry teacher from three years ago was a Rage fan, as was my huge fat preppy-looking Spanish teacher, though I kinda expected that because he is a very angry man. But I am a big fan of his songwriting, more than his guitar work. Especially the Audioslave stuff, it's much better than the Rage stuff. Unfortunately, I didn't have an Audioslave CD in the van.

I do not like Rage. In fact, I am very much anti-RATM. They suck.

[Alias]

Where the hell is AC/DC and Black Sabbath?

Also, you want guitar solo? Acoustic > Electric.

[Vortigern]

I would like to agree with Duke Qa on most points, except that I do not tire of Nightwish or Within Temptation. I find them awesome. Also, I just put them down together because they're all metal bands with female vocalists. I forgot Epica, though. Which is weird, because I've seen them live. Supporting Sonata Arctica in London, last September. Porcupine Tree I have also seen, last November, on the Tour of a Blank Planet, and they were pretty awesome. I was much impressed.

Dream Theater have never really done it for me. I mean, John Petrucci is obviously a great guitarist, but I bought Octavarium a while back, and was singularly disappointed. The only album that has disappointed me more is St Anger, for obvious reasons.

Opeth I have seen once before and am seeing again at Wacken this summer, and much looking forward to it. I'm a big fan, and have been for some time.

Symphony X I like, too. My heavy metal uncle (he's awesome ) gave me two albums of theirs, as his latest obsession, and I instantly found them most agreeable to my ears. And then I got back from my world tour and found that my little brother has gone and bought another album of theirs.

I'm really looking forward to more Blind Guardian, though. Although, I have to say, I found A Night At The Opera a lot more exciting and awesome than A Twist In The Myth. And Nightfall was truly awesome.

The reason nobody's mentioned Sabbath and ACDC is that ACDC, like Queens of the Stone Age, aren't metal, and Sabbath, while epochal, aren't that good. Ozzy Osbourne's voice just annoys me so much I can't bear it. Added to which, the music itself is bland, repetitive and rather dull. Paranoid is a good song by virtue of a decent intro riff and only being about two and a half minutes long.

Pain of Salvation I have never even heard of, but whatever, I'll look into them. Thanks for the recommendation. That was, after all, the point of setting this up. And as such, I shall leave a recommendation for you. Your choice of song at the end, the Ayreon song, got me thinking, and I realised that I have a song of the same name by a band called Amon Amarth. They're Viking-style melodic death metal, and they were and are the only death metal I have ever enjoyed listening to. Also, their singer, Johan Hegg, is just awesome. Look him up.

[Alias]

AC/DC may not be strictly metal, but they certainly played a part in shaping the genre as it is today. If you are going to discuss Floyd in here, at least show some attention to other bands of the era. I myself don't mind Porcupine Tree, but I only like their older stuff (before and including In Absentia).

You yourself may not like Ozzy's voice, but at least he doesn't sound like he has terminal throat cancer like 90% of metal vocalists these days.

[Beowulf]

Ozzy is the most overrated vocalist EVER. He sucks! Goddammit. He ruined Sabbath too. Dio ftw.

[Alias]

I never said I liked Ozzy, did I?

I just made a comparison between him and the current vocalists of today (90% of which are utter shit).

Edited by Alias, 13 May 2008 - 03:34 PM.

[Beowulf]

I never said you did. I was just speaking my piece.

[Vortigern]

I agree on both counts, but not on the part where you say 90% of metal vocalists suck. Many of them have received professional vocal training, and most of them would be considered good singers by almost everyone who heard them, except perfectionist arseholes like Simon Cowell. I assume the throat cancer comment refers to the death metal variety of vocalists, who I would agree sound like they're dying, but there is still a skill to it. Screaming and growling is just a different variety of music, and one that no fewer people (though admittedly a vastly different cross-section of society) like it than like opera.

Although yeah, Dio kicks ass. I'd love to go see him, he's a real performer.